Just 3.5 hours west is Wintergreen Resort and the Blue Ridge Parkway. It’s not the Alps, but it’ll unmistakably demonstrate what it means to climb. There are no flat runs; you’re either ascending or descending. The Resort is short, steep, wooded and brutal. The Parkway is open and incredibly scenic with lower gradients that go on and on and on. Traffic is not an issue, but ramps up on weekends.